2021 Gigondas Château de Saint Cosme Magnum

Powerful, with steeped plum and cherry coulis merging with potpourri and charred garrigue on a ripe, lush palate. Packs a wall of iron that provides a ballast for the ripe fruit, while refined tannins build in intensity. Long and complex, with a gorgeous expression of place. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault.

Deep magenta. High-toned cherry and blackberry aromas show very good clarity with black pepper and smoky mineral accents. Shows firm tension and a spicy cut to its gently sweet red and dark berry, bitter chocolate and succulent herb flavors. Youthfully gripping tannins lend framework to a long, smoky finish that echoes the spice and floral notes. This is textbook Gigondas, raised in a combination of one-third concrete tanks and two-thirds large oak barrels, 20% of those new.

Leading off the 2021 barrel samples, the 2021 Gigondas is a juicy, elegant, medium-bodied beauty with lots of red and black fruits, some floral and violet notes, fine tannins, and kiss of salinity on the finish. It’s clearly an outstanding wine in the making and a great effort in this more challenging vintage.